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Gardening with Gael - Planting for flower power

 

Dahlia mix-382Jozie rang. “How do you think dahlias would grow at the Block?” she asked. “I rather fancy growing them.”
“They grow really well,” I replied. “This is perfect timing. I have a whole lot of dahlias up there desperate to be dug up, divided and fed.” 


Dahlias need to be planted between August and the end of October when the ground is beginning to warm up. It is also a great time to dig them up. I use a fork to reduce the likelihood of damage to the bulbs.

“Excellent,” she replied. “Let’s do that in the holidays.”

I scanned the property looking for an area that would accommodate the dozens of dahlias we would get from the huge clumps that should have been divided maybe two or three years ago. A strip below the hillside facing north and sheltered from all winds looked like an ideal site. All we had to do was weed, which in fact meant chopping out the clumps of paspalum and other established weeds that Box has been mowing for years. Paspalum needs a sharp spade. On the way up we called into Tudor Oaks for Andrew to sharpen our tools while we had a coffee.

Above the proposed site is a line of hydrangea paniculata. Mulch from over the years has washed down from below the bottom line of these making the paspalum relatively easy to clear. We tipped the paspalum upside down around the hydrangeas. As they break down they will make excellent mulch for this year. The clay loam on the newly cleared strip,
combined with the composted mulch, made easy digging. We cleared a 50 metre strip stretching all the way along the base of the hill and about one metre wide. We began by digging about 20 holes.

Polly had recently dropped off some manure from her pony. Perfect for dahlias. We put some in the bottom of the holes and covered it. By the time the roots reach it the worms will have mixed it into the soil. Dahlias also need a dusting of blood and bone once the new shoots have become established.

The plan was to divide up each clump of bulbs and keep the colours separate. The first clump was huge. I think it has been considerably longer than two or three years since they have been divided up. The clumps fell apart easily and somehow we managed to get them completely mixed up. Jozie and Susi – who had come to help – planted while I divided the clumps. 

There were a great deal more than we had anticipated. By the time we had finished, Jozie and Susi had dug holes the entire 50 metres. Several large bulbs went into each hole or at least ten little ones. Entirely random colours. It will be entertaining to see the mix that appears from each hole!

Our next job is to stake the main stems as they appear. These are quite large dahlias and require support. Jozie also mentioned that she had bought some online unaware at the time how many were lurking in the garden. She has cleared another row and planted them. I can’t wait to see the results.
Jozie texted. “What about tree dahlias?”

“Yes,” I replied. “We have those too. Mauve and white. It appears we are going to hunt those down as well.

Dahlia’s come in all shapes, sizes and colours. Some grow a metre tall with blooms 30cm across.

 
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